• Title/Summary/Keyword: Ecological indicator

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Resiliency Assessment of Sarasota Bay Watershed, Florida

  • Lee, Hye-Kyung
    • Journal of KIBIM
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.32-41
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    • 2019
  • As population in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Florida in the United States is projected to increase, land use changes from land development happen continuously. The more land development means the more impervious surfaces and stormwater runoff to Sarasota Bay, which causes critical impact on the resiliency of the ecosystem. In order to decrease its impact on water quality and the ecosystem function of Sarasota Bay, it is important to assess the resilient status of communities that create negative impacts on the ecosystem. Three types of guiding principles of resiliency for Sarasota Bay watershed are suggested. To assess resiliency status, three indexes - vulnerability index, socio-economic index, and ecological index are developed and analyzed by using geographic information system for each census tract in the two counties. Since each indicator for vulnerability index, socio-economic index, and ecological index is measured with different metrics, statistical standardizing method - distance from the best and worst performers is used for this study to directly compare and combine them all to show total resilience score for each census tract. Also, the ten most and the ten least scores for the total resilience index scores are spatially distributed for better understanding which census tracts are most or least resilient. As Sarasota Watershed boundary is also overlaid, it is easy to understand how each census tract attains its resilience and how each census tract impacts to Sarasota Bay ecosystem. Based on results of the resiliency assessment several recommendations, guidelines, or policies for attaining or enhancing resiliency are suggested.

A Study on the Possibility of Utilizing Both Biotope Maps and Land Cover Maps on the Calculation of the Ecological Network Indicator of City Biodiversity Index (도시생물다양성 지수(CBI) 중 생태네트워크 산정을 위한 도시생태현황지도 및 토지피복지도 활용 가능성 연구)

  • Park, Seok-Cheol;Han, Bong-Ho;Park, Min-Jin;Yun, Hyerngdu;Kim, Myungjin
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.44 no.6
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    • pp.73-83
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    • 2016
  • This study modified and applied the ecological network(Indicator 2) from the City Biodiversity Index(CBI) to be tailored to Korea. It is calculated by utilizing a biotope map and a land cover map. The ecological network of Gyeryong-Si was 13,713,703(33.8%) with the biotope map and 17,686,966(37.9%) with the land cover map. The result of the biotope map was lower than the land cover map. The ecological network of Goyang-Si was 4,961,922(4.9%) with the biotope map and 4,383,207(3.7%) with the land cover map. The result of the land cover map was lower than the biotope map. As a main result of the research, an error was discovered in which, when calculating the ecological network, the types of the military unit facilities were distinguished into a special area on the biotope map and into an urbanization promotion area and a forest area on the land cover map. In the case of a middle-classified, land cover map, the land use in the surroundings of the forest area was not subdivided. An error in the development area expressed as a forest green was discovered. When selecting the natural elements, too, regarding the types of artificially-created rivers, artificial ponds, and artificial grasslands, etc. on a biotope map, the exclusions were necessary. Regarding the natural, bare ground on a land cover map, there was a need to calculate by including the natural elements. It was judged that, in the future, the ecological network in the unit of the entire nation can be analyzed roughly by utilizing a land cover map. It was judged that, in a city having a biotope map, the calculation of the ecological network utilizing a map of the present situation of the urban ecology will be a more accurate diagnosis of the present situation.

Habitat Prediction and Impact Assessment of Eurya japonica Thunb. under Climate Change in Korea (기후변화에 따른 한반도 사스레피나무의 생육지 예측과 영향 평가)

  • Yun, Jong-Hak;Park, Jeong Soo;Choi, Jong-Yun;Nakao, Katsuhiro
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.26 no.5
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    • pp.291-302
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    • 2017
  • The research was carried out in order to find climate factors which determine the distribution of Eurya japonica, and the potential habitats (PHs) under the current climate and climate change scenario by using species distribution models (SDMs). Four climate factors; the warmth index (WI), the minimum temperature of the coldest month (TMC), summer precipitation (PRS), and winter precipitaion (PRW) : were used as independent variables for the model. Seventeen general circulation models under RCP (Representative concentration pathway) 8.5 scenarios were used as future climate scenarios for the 2050s (2040~2069) and 2080s (2070~2099). Highly accurate SDMs were obtained for E. japonica. The model of distribution for E. japonica constructed by SDMs showed that minimum temperature of the coldest month (TMC) is a major climate factor in determining the distribution of E. japonica. The area above the $-5.7^{\circ}C$ of TMC revealed high occurrence probability of the E. japonica. Future PHs for E. japonica were projected to increase respectively by 2.5 times, 3.4 times of current PHs under 2050s and 2080s. It is expected that the potential of E. japonica habitats is expanded gradually. E. japonica is applicable as indicator species for monitoring in the Korean Peninsula. E. japonica is necessary to be monitored of potential habitats.

Analysis for the relationship of environmental factors and vegetation structure at natural streamside valley and riparian forest in South Korea

  • Cho, Kyu-Tae;Jang, Rae-Ha;You, Young-Han
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.405-413
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    • 2015
  • We classified the streamside plant community by phyto-sociological method and analyzed the relationship between environment factors and vegetation structure by using the classification and ordination method. We found that twenty one plant communities were classified according to dominant species at the natural streamside valley forest with surveying the 65 quadrats (10 m × 10 m). From the survey results, the hardwood plant communities were classified as streamside valley forest and the softwood plant communities as riparian forest according to the degree of flooding. The valley forest had a distribution of 17 plant communities which was 65% (42 quadrats) of 65 quadrats: Maackia amurensis community, Betula davurica community, Quercus variabilis community, Pinus densiflora community, Q. serrata community, Prunus sargentii community, and Meliosma oldhamii community etc. The riparian forest had a distribution of four plant communities which was 35% (23 quadrats) of 65 quadrats: Salix koreensis community, S. rorida community, S. purpurea var. japonica community, and S. glandulosa community, etc. From the two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) analysis, we found indicator species Oplismenus undulatifolius and Lindera obtusiloba for the streamside valley forest and Humulus japonicus, Phragmites japonica, and S. koreensis for the riparian forest. From the results of the canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), coordinates, altitude, and stream structure showed low correlation to the distribution of the plant community. Therefore, it seemed that valley forest and riparian forest were distinguished by the stream gradient and waterway width which determined by the stream water level.

The Distribution of Indicator Microorganisms and Identification of Antibiotic Resistant Strains in Domestic Animal Feces (가축 분변 유래 지표미생물 분포 및 항생제 내성 균주의 동정)

  • Kim, Jong-Geu;Lee, Jang-Hoon;Kwon, Hyuk-Ku
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.37 no.4
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    • pp.289-297
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    • 2011
  • Objectives: To estimate the microbial contaminant load discharged from livestock farms, we randomly selected livestock farmers of cattle, swine, and fowl and collected bacterial strains from domestic animals' feces and compost samples. Recently, as multi-antibiotic-resistant bacteria and super bacteria showing resistance to a variety of antibiotics have been reported one after another, the ecological and health hazard of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is emerging as an important issue. Methods: Monitored indicator microorganism constituents were totak coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC), and aerobic bacteria. The multi-antibiotic-resistant bacteria were identified from investigated indicator microorganisms by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: By microbiological analysis, the largest population of aerobic bacteria ($1.5{\times}10^5$ CFU/g) was found in cattle fecal compost, and total coliforms ($1.1{\times}10^7$ CFU/g) and fecal coliforms ($1.0{\times}10^5$ CFU/g) were found primarily in swine fecal compost, while the lowest population was found in fowl fecal compost. Among the 67 strains separated from aerobic bacteria, five strains expressing high antibiotic resistance were selected in each sample. We found the multi-antibiotic resistant strains to be Shigella boydii, Staphylococcus lentus, Acinetobacter sp. and Brevibacterium luteolum. Conclusions: These results suggest that increasing numbers of multi-antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment have a close relation to the reckless use of antibiotics with livestock.

Inactivation of various bacteriophages in wastewater by chlorination; Development of more reliable bacteriophage indicator systems for water reuse (하수 처리 과정의 염소 소독에 대한 여러 박테리오파지들의 저항성 평가; 물 재이용 과정의 안전성 관리를 위한 바이러스 지표미생물의 개발)

  • Bae, Kyung-Seon;Shin, Gwy-Am
    • Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.285-291
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    • 2016
  • There has been an accelerating increase in water reuse due to growing world population, rapid urbanization, and increasing scarcity of water resources. However, it is well recognized that water reuse practice is associated with many human health and ecological risks due to numerous chemicals and pathogenic microorganisms. Especially, the potential transmission of infectious disease by hundreds of pathogenic viruses in wastewater is one of the most serious human health risks associated with water reuse. In this study, we determined the response of different bacteriophages representing various bacteriophage groups to chlorination in real wastewater in order to identify a more reliable bacteriophage indicator system for chlorination in wastewater. Different bacteriophages were spiked into secondary effluents from wastewater plants from three different geographic areas, and then subjected to various doses of free chlorine and contact time at $5^{\circ}C$ in a bench-scale batch disinfection system. The inactivation of ${\phi}X174$ was relatively rapid and reached ~4 log10 with a CT value of 5 mg/L*min. On the other hand, the inactivation of bacteriophage PRD1 and MS2 were much slower than the one for ${\phi}X174$ and only ~1 log10 inactivation was achieved by a CT value of 10 mg/L*min. Overall, the results of this study suggest that bacteriophage both MS2 and PRD1 could be a reliable indicator for human pathogenic viruses for chlorination in wastewater treatment processes and water reuse practice.

Application of Coliform Bacterial Plasmid as a Trophic Indicator (콜리형 세균 Plasmid의 영양단계 지표 활용에 관한 연구)

  • Cho, Hong Bum
    • The Korean Journal of Ecology
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    • v.11 no.1
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    • pp.29-36
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    • 1988
  • This present study has been carried out to examine the correlation between the distribution of the coliform bacterial plasmids and the viability test against heavy metals in the upper stream of Han river(Gapyung; clean water) and the its basin (Anyang Cheon; polluted water). And the distribution of plasmids were examined to be used as trophic indicator for analysis between the clean and polluted waters. 1. A total of 110 isolates were analyzed for the presence of plasmids by means of the boiling method and agarose gel techniques. Plasmids were significantly more frequent in the strains which had been isolated from the clean water (14.3%). Also, there were much higher multiplicity of plasmids at the polluted water(41.0%), compared with the clean water (33.0%). By the comparision between molecular weight of bacterial plasmids in the clean water and those of polluted water, there were no significant differences of the clean water from the polluted water, to such extent as 30.0%, 28.6%, respectively, in frequency for occurrence of high molecular weight plasmids iver 35.8% Mdal. 2. Each isolate was carried out the resistance test for mercury(10-5M), nickel(10-3M) and arsenic (0.1%). At the polluted site, the survival ability of the plasmid-carrying straings(Hg, 31.0%l Ni, 5.7%; As, 65.7%) was higher than that of the non plasmid-carrying strains(Hg, 12.1%; Ni, 3.0%; As, 54.6%). This trend was more remarkable in the clean site (plasmid-carrying strains: 16.7%,-,-). As a result it is suggested that plasmids could be used as an indicator of a certain types of water pollution. In addition, heavy metals might have inflyenced, some extent, to the distribution of plasmids in the environment which has been surveyed in the present study.

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A Study on the Use Impact on the Trail in Gwanak Mountain, Korea (관악산 등산로 이용에 따른 영향에 관한 연구)

  • Yoo, Ki-Joon
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.111-117
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    • 2011
  • The purpose of this study is to establish trail use impact indicators, and evaluate the degree of use impact based on the understanding of the causality among the impacts on the spot. Theoretical reviews developed three indicators in terms of three ecological impacts, four physical impacts, and five sociological impacts, respectively. With this indicators, observation and questionnaire survey were employed on Gwanak Mountain Trail to measure the levels of impacts forementioned. As for the ecological impact, Some loss of ground cover vegetation was reveled near the trail due to trail use, however the level of disturbance by the naturalized and exotic plants was insignificant. Physical impacts such as soil hardness, enlargement of trail width were found intensified. The result of measuring sociological impacts showed visitors had expected higher level of crowding and encounters before their visit, therefore overall satisfaction level was positive, despite higher awareness level of actual crowding. Intensified continuing use of the trail is aggravating ecological and physical impacts on Gwanak Mountain trail, because of its location in a metropolitan area. Sociological impacts seem favorable at present, however if ecological and physical impacts were deteriorated, sociological impacts would also be affected. To maintain the quality level of use experience, managerial efforts to improve climbing culture as well as ecological and physical environment such as restoration of damaged areas are needed.

The Management Methods of Multi-Purpose Ecological Reservoir by System Thinking - Focused on Anteo Eco Park - (시스템 사고를 통한 다기능 생태저류지의 관리방안 - 광명 안터생태공원을 중심으로 -)

  • Lee, HyunJi;You, Soojin;Chon, Jinhyung
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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    • v.18 no.2
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    • pp.1-17
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    • 2015
  • Ecological reservoir is a multifunctional space where provides the functions of retention, animal habitat and improvement of ecosystem health and landscape. The ecological reservoir of Anteo Eco Park located in Gwangmyeong-si has established to functions for water purification, maintenance of healthy aquatic ecosystem. Because the Anteo Eco Park is located in the site where nonpoint pollutant materials flow in, Anteo Eco Park has potential factors which aquatic ecosystem health deteriorates and damages the habitat of golden frog(Rana plancyi chosenica) which is restoration target species. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to suggest the plan to manage the variables which impede the right functions of aquatic ecosystem by understanding the causal loop diagram for the change of water quality environment and the interaction of predator-prey through system thinking. The results are as follows. First, the study showed that the individual number of golden frog which is an indicator species of Anteo Eco Park is threatened by snakeheaded fish, which is an upper predator. Therefore, balanced food chain should be hold to protect golden frog by capturing the snakeheaded fish which is individual number's density is high, and the monitoring management of the individual number for predator(snakeheaded fish)-prey(golden frog) should be performed. Second, the study represented that water pollution and carnification is caused by the sediment as the dead body of the large emergent vegetation in the winter cumulates as sediment. Ecological reservoir in Anteo Eco Park has been managed by eliminating the dead body of the large emergent vegetation, but the guideline for the proper density maintenance of vegetation community is additionally needed. Lastly, the study showed that aquatic ecosystem of Anteo Eco Park where is contaminated from the inflow of nonpoint pollutants affects the individual number's decline of golden frog and snakeheaded fish. Accordingly, the creation of a buffer area and a substitution wetland is needed in the periphery of the Anteo Eco Park to control the inflow of nonpoint pollutants including organic matters, nutrients and heavy metals. This study will be helpful that Anteo Eco Park improves the regional landscape and maintain healthy aquatic ecosystem space for the park visitors including local residents.

Study on the diagnosis of disturbed forest ecosystem in the Republic of Korea: in case of Daegwallyeong and Chupungryeong

  • Lee, Seon-Mi;Cha, Jae-Gyu;Moon, Ho-Gyung
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.41 no.7
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    • pp.182-190
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    • 2017
  • Background: Baekdudaegan was designated in 2005 as a protected area to prevent destruction and conserve. However, there are many disturbed and destroyed areas. The total disturbed area amounts to $25.9km^2$ (0.94%), including $13.4km^2$ (0.49%) in the core area and $12.5km^2$ (0.45%) in the buffer area. This study aims to classify the vegetation types established in the disturbed areas and diagnose the current conditions for ecological restoration in the forest ecosystem. Methods: We surveyed the vegetation in the disturbed areas of Daegwallyeong and Chupungryeong and the surrounding natural areas. The survey conducted from July to September 2015 targeted a total of 54 quadrats by Braun-Blanquet method (Daegwallyeong, 22; Chupungryeong, 32). We also investigated the height and coverage of each layer. We classified the vegetation types based on the field data and analyzed the ratio of life form and the exotic plants, species richness, and vegetation index (Hcl). The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was calculated from rapideye satellite imagery in 2014 and 2015. Results: Vegetation types were classified into 11 groups according to the criteria that included successional sere or plantation at first, followed by developmental stage and origins. As a result of the analysis of the survey data, species richness, vegetation index (Hcl), ratio of tree plants, and the NDVI tended to increase, while the ratio of the exotic plants tended to decrease with the time since disturbance. These indicators had the classified values according to the vegetation types with time since the disturbance. Conclusions: These indicators can be effectively used to diagnose the conditions of the present vegetation in the disturbed area of the Baekdudaegan area. In addition, the NDVI might be effective for the diagnosis of the disturbed status instead of the human efforts based on the higher spatial resolution of satellite imagery. Appropriate diagnosis of the disturbed forests in the Baekdudaegan area considering the established vegetation types is essential for the elaboration of restoration plans. In addition, restoration target and level should be different according to the disturbed status of restoration site.